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No Internet “kill Switch” For Australia

Posted by samzenpus on from the always-open dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Well, it looks as though at least some Governments have a backbone. Egypt switched off its internet to stop protests over the past few days, and the US Government is considering legislation that will give the President 'kill switch' powers over the internet as well. But in Australia, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy — best known for his attempt to filter the country's internet for child pornography and the country's flagship national fibre broadband rollout, says such a scenario couldn't occur."

14 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Weather by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny

    With the weather they have I don't think they need one.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Weather by MichaelSmith · · Score: 4, Informative

      Funnily enough a lot of people on the coast where the cyclone hit are reporting fair 3G coverage and usable internet access. Its probably less vulnerable than power because it is either buried cables or wireless. Queensland is tropical and the weather there is often quite wild. The teletext service used to (maybe still does) operate out of channel 7 in Brisbane and it was always going down due to massive electrical storms.

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
  2. Re:When can we get rid of this guy? by QuantumG · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Honestly? The only way to get rid of unelected officials is constitutional reform. I really thought this was going to be the generation to do it, but it seems there's too many of us around who have fond memories of standing on the assembly ground to God Save The Queen.. and we can't talk about changing the constitution without talking about finally pulling our finger out and cutting the safety line to mother England. Or, ya know, we could petition the US to become their 52nd state - right after Israel.. I keed, I keed!

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  3. KIll switch alternatives by Angostura · · Score: 3, Interesting

    OK, I'll stick my head above the parapet, because I'm interested in getting opinions.

    Let's assume for a second that the kill-switch proponents are acting from the best of motives. They are worried about the potential for a huge, effective, external Internet attack on critical infrastructure, that could do the worst things - cut power, stop water , turn all the traffic lights red - you've seen the movies.

    They are concerned that it such an attack occurs the population will be screaming "Why didn't you plan, why don't you stop it, how come you can't turn external connections off, you bozos?".

    So they are planning and worrying - as they should.

    What is wrong, in principle with a killswitch, if the correct checks and balances are in place? What is a better solution?

    1. Re:KIll switch alternatives by Spad · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Take responsibility for the security of the services you host on the internet?

    2. Re:KIll switch alternatives by JustOK · · Score: 3, Insightful

      because they are setting up an attack vector, where none existed, that could be used to bring down the internet.

      --
      rewriting history since 2109
    3. Re:KIll switch alternatives by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Egypt shows that the killswitch can't be used for more than a week or so because business and Government both complain that they need it to do their work and keep things running. If it lasted a week in Egypt I reckon it would last a day in the US. At the same time people are good networkers and they know how to get the word out. An intranet can be a wifi card and a copy of mediawiki, though I am sure the solutions used in Egypt were pretty low tech. In short the kill switch does more damage than good. It can't be used for any length of time and it is pretty easy to work around. You may as well switch off the water and see how far you get.

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
    4. Re:KIll switch alternatives by dutchd00d · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Secure the infrastructure that you expose to the internet. Make sure that no evil-doers can get in. If there *is* an attack and it all goes horribly wrong disconnect the infrastructure. No need to pull down the entire network.

      If you want to stop burglars you put a lock on your door, you don't dig up the street that they use to get to your door.

    5. Re:KIll switch alternatives by TapeCutter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Would that include a kill switch, or not?

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  4. That's nice. by enter+to+exit · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If any government is facing a threat it will do anything it needs to protect itself, regardless of laws. Having or not having a law will not make the slightest difference in the face of a real emergency.

  5. Re:Internet kill workaround by PatPending · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, RFC 1149 worked for Egypt

    --
    What one fool can do, another can. (Ancient Simian Proverb)
  6. Re:Short on popularity by bug1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Conroy was asked the question by a journalist, it wasnt a press release or something.

    Judge for yourself here is the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Gn4SjNY3U

    If you wish to be fair, how about a critical response to the oppositions approach to the Internet.

  7. Re:Internet kill workaround by somersault · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why are people letting the US govt away with this? An internet kill switch sounds an awful lot like a violation of free speech, especially if they're thinking of using it in the same way the Egyptian govt did. The constitution is starting to look like a bad joke.

    --
    which is totally what she said
  8. No kill switch? Ha. by Wizarth · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is the same government that wants to be able to blacklist any URL secretly.

    The EFA AU said it best: http://www.efa.org.au/2011/02/03/conroy-not-fooling-anyone/